Storyfication: The Art of Making Your Point through Story
“I want to tell you a story.” If you want to grab an audience’s attention, there’s not a much better way to do so than
Category: Essays
Spiritual Types
I was at Mass with a friend one day and, when I looked over during the Eucharistic Prayer, I noticed she was weeping. Afterward I
The Illiberalism Heresy
A new crusade is afoot. No, it’s not against the civilization-wrecking incendiaries of ISIS. Nor is it against the single greatest threat to life in
How to Disagree: Three Rules to Make the Most of Our Divisiveness
There is a rule that you should never talk about politics or religion in polite company. I’ve never been a fan. What else is worth
There Is No Such Thing as Unconditional Love—and That’s a Good Thing
If there is principle that every self-help guru and relationship specialist can agree on, it’s that the only way to lasting relationships is through ‘unconditional
The Year Identity Trumped Reality
In 2016 we were introduced to the concept of ‘fake news’. In 2017 we didn’t need fake news because reality itself had grown so absurd.
The Diversity Problem
Lykewyse is a startup based out of San Antonio, TX, offering an assortment of personal assistant apps. In hopes of hitting the big time with
The Hidden Meaning of ‘Self-Gift’
In a recent homily, my priest said that the problem with marriages these days is the lack of self-gift. “Nobody knows how to say ‘No’
The Efficacy of Prayer
In a small town in the American Middlewest, a young boy is diagnosed with terminal cancer. His church community rallies together to pray for his
Fake News Isn’t the Problem, Relativism Is
When the soon-to-be-president Trump called a CNN reporter ‘fake news’ to his face, it was both entertaining and ironic. First of all, it was great
On Mourning Celebrities
I might be a humbug, but I don’t get the grief over celebrity deaths. Yes, death is bad and it is especially sad to think
Why No One Leaves the Country After an Election
In the last few months, several celebrities have threatened to move out of the United States if the Donald became president. Notables such as Whoopi
If You Think This Is About Sexism and Racism, You’re Missing the Point
At first, it was entertaining to watch the talking heads try to make sense of the election results that they had been so wrong in
Voting Frenzy a Sign of National Malaise, Not Vigor
With all of the attention focused on this election, it is easy to get caught up in a patriotic fervor. Everyone posted ‘I Voted’ stickers
The Misogyny of Feminism
When Taylor Swift recently declared herself to be a feminist, she said it was in part because she realized that Feminism isn’t necessarily anti-men. It is
The Death of Dissent
In the aftermath of the horrific attack in Orlando, we have witnessed a death that is equally troubling if only because of its scope and
How a ‘Personal Relationship with Jesus’ Steers Us Away from Jesus
I was recently at a talk on Catholic New Evangelization and the speaker began with a provocative question: What is our central goal and purpose
The Moral Obligation to Be Beautiful
Recently, the folks at Boundless posted a provocative article titled ‘Where Have All the Beautiful Women Gone?’ The idea? That our culture, with its Photoshopped
The Superhero Heresy
March 5, 2016 With several blockbuster superhero films out every year, there can be little doubt that supers are hotter than ever. Batman, Iron Man,
Why Anti-Trumpers Might Be the Bigger Problem
As 2016 Super Tuesday results filed in, a sinking feeling could be felt across the country. Political pundits and lay voters alike realized that Donald